


Growing Up

by MilkyLane96



Category: Batman (Comics), Grayson (Comics), Nightwing (Comics), Robin (Comics)
Genre: Confessions, Feelings Realization, M/M, Protective Damian Wayne, Short One Shot, Young Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-30
Updated: 2016-12-30
Packaged: 2018-09-13 09:18:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9117385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MilkyLane96/pseuds/MilkyLane96
Summary: Damian tells Bruce about his feelings for Dick and wonders if his father disapproves his want to be Dick's partner- not in a Batman & Robin way and Bruce just has to accept that Damian's growing up.Mentions of Jason Todd & Tim DrakeMinor JayTimNothing romantic actually happens, it's just Bruce and Damian talking.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this at 4 or 5AM and finished at 6AM... so.... yeah... I don't know.

“Father, I must speak with you right now.”

Bruce stops typing on the keyboard and slowly turns to see Damian standing behind him with his normal expressionless face.

“What is it?” Bruce leans back on the leather chair and tries to guess what Damian would be asking him today however whatever his guesses were, they were all wrong once the young boy opened his mouth.

“What is love? I know it’s definition and theoretically I know how it somewhat works but… how do I know if it’s love? ” Damian’s eyes were genuine, Bruce could tell and he thought about the answer for awhile before he settled down with,

“Love isn’t something you read and study about. It’ll come naturally, you’ll know it when it happens to you. It’s a feeling, Damian. ”

“What’s the difference between love in friends, family and a special one?”

Never in a million years did Bruce thought about today. What was the appropriate reply? He wasn’t that sure about it himself, and he wasn’t the type to pour feelings out but Damian was a growing child and working with others, maybe he found someone he wanted to be with or perhaps it’s just puppy love. 

“There’s a difference and you’ll know it when you’re older.” Bruce just shoved the problem away but the young Robin was taking none of that today. He gives his father an eyeroll before crossing his arms across his chest.

“Father, I need direct answers. I only know with that special someone, you get sexual urges but-”

“Damian.” Bruce cuts the younger off and wondered if he should start monitoring Damian’s online activity soon. The elder man gets up from his seat and walks over to his son before he kneels down in front of him.

“I’m not the right person to ask these questions. You can ask Dick when he comes back later.”

“I cannot request assistance from Grayson.” Damian looks away and to the ground, making Bruce wonder whether Dick and Damian had a fight.

“Why not?” Bruce waits for the answer, his mind picking up Damian’s silent reaction and the slight change of skin tone.

“Because it is Grayson that I have feelings for.“ 

Being Batman is difficult, fighting crimes and saving the world however Bruce has come to wonder if being a father is just as difficult. Did his ears heard Damian right or was this some weird dream? Bruce knows that Damian looks up to Dick, a lot of people look up to Dick so it was no problem and clearly, a little adoration or admiration could do the kid some good but now, Damian was flat out saying he has feelings for Dick who is his eldest brother.

“I’m sure your feelings for Dick is love under family category.” Bruce doesn’t really know but he hopes so. It would become complicated if not.

“…I have been doing some research. I watched some movies and read some articles about the matter and came to the conclusion that love for a special one means wanting them close by your side, wanting to protect them and give them all you have. It also means accepting each other and not wanting other people to take them away from you… I am most certain that I feel that way about, Grayson.” Damian releases a breath he didn’t realize he was holding until he was done with his words. It felt better to let out his questions, even if letting it out to his father wasn’t the ideal option.

“Damian… you and Dick are brothers.”

“So is Todd and Drake and I’m still traumatized at their intense lip lock on the rooftop last Friday night.”

“What?” Bruce couldn’t quiet catch that last part. Jason and Tim, kissing? While on patrol? Bruce does remember sending the two off last Friday.

“Do you object my feelings towards Grayson, father?” Damian suddenly ask and Bruce shakes his head before he pats Damian on the shoulder.

“You… Dick, Tim and Jason can love whoever you want. I have no say because it’s your feelings and I can’t change it- ”

“Thank you and if Grayson by chance feels the same way about me, will you give us your blessings?”

Bruce really doesn’t know where this is going and he really wishes Alfred would come down and serve tea or call him for something because the replies are getting harder and harder. Damian is still young, his feelings may be confused at the moment but when he grows up and meets more people, he might change his mind on loving his brother.

“-Yes. If Dick and you both like each then I will be happy for the two of you.” Things Bruce Wayne never thought he’d say to his own son.

“Very well. I shall take your word for it.” Robin smiles and Bruce wonders how deep his feelings are already.

“Damian… you’re still very young and Dick is much older than you. Both of you might meet other people and-”

Damian puts a hand up and stops his father mid sentence as he raises his head up and licks his lips.

“I am very well aware of our age gap and I painfully am aware that I am not much right now but I am growing up. I’m growing stronger and one day, perhaps even stronger than you. I know Grayson shows affection to everyone but he accepts me and has no expectations of me… He has the qualities of someone I want to be with. I truly feel… loved when I am with him and it warms me inside.” Damian puts a hand on his chest as he recalls the feeling he gets when Grayson gives him a smile or when he hears him chuckle and laugh at something silly.

“Few years ago, if someone told me I would feel warm from silly acts such as seeing someone happy, I would’ve told that person that he or she was out of their minds and probably kill them as well. Today, I am living those days and he changed me… slowly but surely, I was becoming someone I wanted to be- not who mother wanted me to be… or anyone else.”

He couldn’t believe the words he was hearing or the hard realisation that Damian has come so far and changed so much. Was this the same young child from back then? Bruce nods his head at his son’s words and made up his mind to honour their wishes and accept whoever it is they decided to love.

“Damian…”

“Some day, I’ll be taller than Grayson, I’ll be stronger and fitter as well. Some day, I’ll be able to giving him a world, just like how he gave me a new one. One day, he’ll look up at me… and I’ll be the reason why he’s smiling. I know right now, he sees me as family. He protects and cares for me because of that status but I won’t stay a child forever and he’ll come to see that I’m more than worthy- if not, I am the most worthy of his love.” Damian’s voice filled with pride as he smirks up at Bruce.

“Dick and Barbara or Starfire-”

“You do not need to worry yourself about that, father. I am very confident in my own set of skills that I can defeat any women or men for Grayson’s heart. They’re not strong nor worthy opponents… Grayson will rank me above them all… He already does.” Damian rolls his eyes at the thought of the other women who actually thinks they stood a chance with his brother.

Bruce thinks about the last time he hears about Dick and his many relationship and the latest should be the break up with Barbara- though he’s not very sure since he doesn’t really care about such things unless Dick himself comes to tell him about it.

“It’s apparent that I can’t and won’t change your mind since your feelings remain the same. What are you trying to get here, Damian?”

“After all my research, I have found out that it is only polite to acquire approval from the partner’s parents beforehand and you are legally Grayson’s father so I assume asking you would do the trick.”

“…you’re asking me if I approve of you and Dick?”

“No. I’m asking you for permission to court Grayson.”

Exactly what kind of research has Damian been doing? Also, Bruce wishes he could start the day again because today has been very peculiar. He’s happy Damian’s growing and learning about feelings but… at the same time… he’s also worried. Bruce takes a deep breathe and gives Damian his answer on that question.

***

Bruce was left alone in the cave once Damian was done talking. The man takes his seat and looks up at his computer screen, his eyes fixed on the screen but his mind wondering but Bruce snaps out of it when he hears Alfred coming towards him. The butler serves the man of the house some tea and Bruce takes a sip from it.

“Is something the matter, Master Bruce?” Alfred asked, probably more about the tea than how the day was for him.

“Tough day.” Bruce briefly answers as Alfred continues preparing something behind him without replying since there was no right answer.

“Did you know that Jason and Tim are together?” Bruce genuinely asked and the next thing he heard was glass breaking, tray falling onto the ground and a perfect great pot of tea…wasted.

He’ll take that as a ‘no’.

***

Bruce and Alfred head up stairs after a short discussion and Bruce was greeted with the sight of Dick and Damian on the couch and watching some sort of movie. Dick turns his head to Bruce and gives him a smile.

“Hey, B. We’re watching Lord of the Rings, join us.” Dick offers and Bruce takes a seat on one of the many couches before he tries to pay attention to the movie but ends up looking at Damian every now and then to see if the boy will do anything out of ordinary.

Half way through the movie, Alfred calls everyone for dinner and they pause it because if dinner gets cold, Alfred was going to be unhappy with them.

They eat their meal in peace, talking about normal daily things which was kinda like Dick talking to himself since Bruce and Damian gave minimal response. The family then completed the movie after Dick gives Jason a call to nag about their absent from the dinner table this month and Jason gave the excuse that Tim and him were busy with something and Bruce really really doesn’t want to find out what.

“Goodnight Master Damian, Master Richard.” Alfred says and the two wave him goodnight as Dick let’s out a loud yawn.

“Night B. Don’t stay up too late.” Dick grins, knowing Bruce, he wont take that advice.

“Goodnight, Dami. We’ll head out to the arcade tomorrow morning after breakfast. See ya.” Dick smiles and heads to his room.

Damian looks up at his father and stares at him before he opens his mouth “I had a good talk today. Goodnight, father.”

Bruce wishes he could say the same, really. He watches Damian head to his room to call it a day before he heads down to the cave. He walks over to his table and sees the picture of his sons with him and their butler together for that one picture and he smiles to himself.

They’re all grown up now… and Bruce is nothing but proud for each and every one of his sons.

Bruce recalls the conversation he had with Damian earlier today-

/////

’…you’re asking me if I approve of you and Dick?’

‘No. I’m asking you for permission to court Grayson.’

Bruce takes a deep breath before he nods his head at the younger boy. Bruce wasn’t sure how to handle this kind of things, he wasn’t sure how to tell Damian about the world because it truly is messed up and the kid basically fights crime for a living– what could Bruce do? Deny him of his happiness and ban him from seeing Dick? Or talk to Damian and hope he would understand? Damian is a smart boy and Bruce is certain that he knows of how things work before the conversation and yet still talked to him about this matter…- about his feelings and who’s to say it’ll stay forever?

‘If you and Dick are happy…’

‘I’m glad you think that way. Don’t worry, I will take full responsibility of Grayson’s happiness, health… as well as sexual-’

‘Damian!’

//////

Bruce swears…. his children grows up way too fast. Also, he has to think of a way to make sure Red Robin and Red Hood are seriously patrolling…! Bruce might have to worry about Damian one day but in the end, it all comes down to their own happiness. If they’re happy… then may nothing get in their way- though it's more like, if anything or anyone gets in their way, that thing or person better start running.

**Author's Note:**

> Do leave a kudos if you enjoyed it and leave a comment to motivate me to continue to write and if you have any more cute ideas for DamiDick or any other Bat family members do let me know.


End file.
